A 20-minute flight from Bora Bora, this pair of islands share a lagoon but contrast markedly. With a rugged landscape, Raiatea is a center of Polynesian history and culture (indeed, it´s considered the culture´s birthplace, and the source of migration to places like Hawaii and New Zealand), with a capital called Uturoa (pop.3,700) and sacred sites such as UNESCO World Heritage Taputapuatea with its stone plazas (pictured here). Meanwhile, lower slung, much lower key Taha'a is famous for its vanilla plantations. Both, of course, also offer some amazing beaches as well as adventure and ecotourism.

Read more in my post An Introduction to French Polynesia for Newbies.

Sur la route